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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Day

Happy Giveaway Day and welcome to my blog!

To those of you popping by for the first time, salutations! My name is Mary, and that's my great grandmother and me in the title photo. Her name was Lillian, and receiving one of her quilts for Christmas a few years ago inspired me to document my own sewing. My blog is a way to honor the women artisans of my family and provide context for my work.

What am I giving away? Fat quarters and crochet in a chocolate-raspberry color scheme! (Sorry, no actual chocolate involved. I'd send you strawberries, but the farmers sold out of 'em at market and I don't get to pick up until Tuesday...)

Browns are full fat quarters, pinks are just shy. The crocheted bangle (coffee sleeve?) was made from yarn "rescued" from an ugly thrift store afghan, and the granny square ornament (gift tag?) consists of embroidery cotton leftover from another project. Hooray for repurposing!

To enter, please leave a comment before March 26 and tell me what you do to live simply, live "green" or live holistically. Winner will be chosen by random.org, and comments dated after March 25 will be discounted. I am shipping from Nashville, Tennessee, and unfortunately will *not* be shipping internationally.

180 comments:

I have never been the first post in a giveaway but I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later- so here goes... We use recycled magazines, toilet paper rolls etc for craft things in my classroom at school. We also blue bag lots of our former garbage and newspaper weekly. The quilt that I am currently working on is made completely from my scrap box- no new yardage used from the stash though the border will use yardage from the stash. We buy used clothing and items from the second store...We also send things that we no longer are using to the charities rather than the garbage. Just a few ways that we try and help to reduce our carbon footprint. Thanks for the chance to win some of my favorite colored fabrics - Raspberry and brown what a great combo. Regards,Anna

Totes! Lots of totes! I get freebies from everywhere, and carry them in the car for shopping. (And for returning plastic bags to stores from those times I left the bags in the car when I went shopping -- oops!)

We use our solar-powered clothes dryer (i.e., clothesline) as much as possible, and use a reel mower to mow the lawn. I'm also trying to grow more of our own food in our small garden. Thanks for sharing!

I do lots of things, my latest was to reuse/upcycle some milk cartons for garden tags (they don't run in the rain like wooden sticks do or get covered with grass mulch). I simply cut them into strips & write on them with a sharpie. Then they get a hole punch, some recycled yarn & tied to the tomato cage. Thanks for the chance to win :)

Oh, man, we do everything we can to live simply and greenly. No TV. No air conditioning. No dishwasher. Composting. Mad recycling. Totes galore. Cloth napkins. As few chemicals as possible. Manual lawn mowing. Line drying. You know, the usual. It makes for a fun and busy summer just at home!

Thanks for the giveaway. This is my first time to your blog, and I am smitten with your blog inspiration. Aren't the women in our families just amazing?

We live on a little farmette and farm organically with a BIG vegetable garden and sweet corn patch (and fruit trees if the kids stop breaking them off!). We also are raising grass-fed beef and we recently got chickens, too.

heh ... I steal stuff out of other people's trash cans and recycling bins... (it's actually legally theft to take things out of trash cans, even after they've been put on the street, I've recently found out, so I do make sure to ask whenever possible! And I generally only do it at work, not literally on the street.) "Are you going to use that piece of cardboard from the back of your legal pad?" is a common question. I've converted the husband to cloth napkins (although he still calls them "towels" for some reason) and recycling (mostly), and we plan on cloth diapers.

I love to shop a local thrift store -- buy almost all of my clothes there. Lately I have been buying pieces of fabric there, or linens, and using them in piecing quilts. I really have fun upcycling!! I have enjoyed reading your blog -- love the quilt the third graders made --it turned out so beautiful!! Love the giveaway fabrics and crochet -- love pink and chocolate! Thanks so much!!

I am excited to have found you and cant wait to look around more when DD is napping! Love your giveaway! So pretty! In our house we do what we can to live "green". We recycle; maintain and eat from an organic garden; buy locally (when possible); compost; bike to work (when possible); and we cloth diaper and use cloth wipes!

I try to recycle and reuse as much as possible, but my favorite thing to do, now the weather is cooperating (read: there isn't four feet of snow outside) I am so excited to be able to compost again. I love my compost pile. I even bring home my banana peels and pistachio shells from my breaks at work so I can compost them. P.S. Banana peels are great for rose bushes. Just bury them alongside, and they will work their magic.Thanks for the chance to win. Pick me!

We do quite a few things, and have for years-- most without even thinking about them anymore.We recycle, compost, can from fruit we grow ourselves, and when I sew/quilt it's almost always from "rescued" fabric.

Anytime I want to buy a new clothing item, I have to get rid of one that I have. It's a rule I made after realizing that I just have too much stuff! I try to apply it in other areas as well, such as books or shoes, etc. Buy one, get rid of one.

We try to mend clothes rather than toss, and when something is beyond repair I try to salvage as much fabric as I can to re-make it into something else! I love the memories seeing the items in new clothes or bags, etc bring up.

My newest venture in living greener has been to make my 8 month old son's babyfood. I know exactly what he is getting and I'm creating a ton less trash from not buying store-bought. I have also started collecting old jeans from family members to make a great outdoor quilt.KellyCraftsforKids@gmail.com

What a wonderful giveaway. I would love to be a part of it. Thank you. atchisonsteph at gmail dot com. I live mostly in Canada but I also have a residence in the states, I hope I can be included in the giveaway.

We thrift a lot, both donating & buying thrifted items. My husband is a cowboy & a leather worker & a hunter. We know how to utilize what the earth provides & produce as little waste as possible. We reuse bags, boxes, envelopes, etc.

Great giveaway! I am trying to get my family to use ceiling fans more, and less AC. It's hard especially living in the deep south. I also buy a lot of things at the thrift stores, clothes, and kitchen equipment. Thanks for participating in SMS Giveaway.

Hey Mary! Lots of great responses. My new chore/project is to fill up a bucket in the tub when I'm trying to get hot water to my end of the house...takes about 2 1/2 gallons each time to get warm. So after 2 times I pour all 5 gallons down (in a swoosh) into the low-flow toilet that clogs up under the house (or at least it did till I started my massive flow treatment). Plumber said there just wasn't enough water in the low flow flush to move the solids past where the shower dumps more water in. Poor home design I guess. Love seeing what you're up to sweetie!

Love the name Lillian - it is my daughter's middle name, and my great aunt's as well. Living simple is easy with 8 kids - can't buy new so it's all hand-me-downs or thrift store. And recycling everything we can in a city that doesn't help us do so.

I love love love upcycling and finding new life in everything... My hubby calls me cheap, I call it beautiful! thank you for a chance to win. I hope you miss typed and posted March instead of May because otherwise I have really really missed the deadline and I apologize for bugging you :-)

I buy clothes for me and my grandkids (and whoever else I find stuff for!) at thrift stores (1/2 off day of course!) and garage sales . Right now I have a HUGE double stroller in my trunk that my friend found at a garage sale for her 2nd grandbaby coming in August ! I recycle and try to reuse whatever I can . I'd like to tell you I live in an energy effeciant house , but we don't and don't have the funds to upgrade right now . I try to do laundry when I have full loads and I got a clothesline that needs to be put up that I plan to use ALOT !!

Thanks for hosting:) I have chronic illness that has not responded well to traditional medicine. About a year ago, I started seeing a HHP. I already feel like a new person but still have a good way to go before totally reclaiming my health. Natural, whole foods are a big part of this transformation. I try to reduce and reuse whenever possible, as well. Currently, I am collecting non-wearable jeans and chinos for a quilt for my son:) He is graduating from HS this week and I think he will enjoy having a quilt that I made for him to take with him:)

We have lots of green going on around here. Reusable shopping bags, cloth diapers, cloth in the kitchen, line drying, a large veggie garden. I also try to use repurposed fabric and yarn as much as possible in my crafting!mindfulhome at gmail dot com

We are always on the hunt in thrift stores, yard sales... I just got a ugly dresser painted black and I refinished it and it now sits in my sewing room holding my charity fabrics... from trash to treasure...

I do a lot (or at least I think it's a lot) to live simply. I think I have all the basics covered: recycling, upcycling, saving old clothes for future fabric projects, saving all scraps for stuffing, composting... I'm even going to have a booth at the Farmer's Market this year, that doesn't start until JULY!.

Thanks for your comment on Green Bag Lady! :) Yay Nashville! I am a professor at Belmont and noticed that you are in education too…

Would love to meet you sometime. I have a group of ladies that meets every Sunday to work on bags if you are interested. We have a great time, gab, eat chocolate, etc. It' s like a modern day quilting circle expect with bags! We meet at Belmont, what neighborhood are you in?

You can email me directly at:

greenbagladyteresa(at)gmail(dot)com

I'm going to the Sevier Park Farmers Market today! Yay! I live very close to there.

I try to reduce (no disposable diapers, paper towels, cups, etc.), reuse (when I forget my bags & have to use plastic they are great for picking up poop on dog walks), and of course I recycle. I also try to buy products that are responsibly produced. Love the farmer's markets on Saturdays!

I try to do what I can when I can. We recycle our cans, our cardboard, our plastics. I have 2 gardens. We use re-usable bags for any and every shopping trip. We unplug all electronics when we're not using them. Even though we live in sunny hot humid florida, we use ceiling fans for as long as possible instead of the air conditioning. I use the water from the kiddie pools to water the other plants we have around the house. Reusable snack bags are used constantly in this house! And I almost forgot our compost bin! Thanks so much for this great giveaway!

You got my attention with chocolate and raspberry, two of my favorite foods and colors! I grow my own raspberries and a few other fruits and veggies, and compost all my kitchen scraps. Thanks for the giveaway!

Hi neighbor! I am in Knoxville and just found you from Sew Mama Sew. I like your blogs intent. I have many heirloom quilts form my great grandmother. I learned to sew from all the beautiful women in my family. My family lives simply by avoiding eating out as much as we can, eating fresh, planting a garden and recycling/upcycling.nan6599(at)gmail(dot)com

I have been recycling since the mid 90's and well known at my local recycling center. I love your giveaway and the fact that your blog is named after your great grandmother. Thanks for a chance to win. bimbi9 at verizon dot net

I just began using soap nuts this weekend instead of traditional detergent. They seemed to work great, especially with the lavender sachet in the dryer. I'd love to cut out the dryer as well, but hanging my laundry is a no-no with the HOA and the roommate.

I love the brown flower one. I think buying used as much as possible is a great way to conserve. I love books. a great site is betterworldbooks.com they have free shipping on everything, and they donate to world literacy organizations for every purchase.

Hello, Great giveaway and some really thought provoking comments. We recycle, reuse as much as possible but know we can and should do more. Thanks for the chance to win. Lindarodlindafansler(at)gmail(dot)com

We are big on recycling around my house. We try to show my two boys a better way of life by cutting back on water, electricity, and natural gas. We ride our bikes or walk when we can. I'm just trying to teach them what a wonderful world we live in and what is going to have to be done for it to stay this way!

First, I love your title photo - so creative and beautiful. As far as living simply, I have been working to make our home run more smoothly by establishing routines and attempting to give away stuff that we don't use. I'm also trying to repurpose old clothing and create enough reusable grocery sacks as they seem to disappear sometimes.

I lived in Europe for seven years and got in the habit of recycling while I was there. So I recycle glass, plastic, paper, and I always take a recycle bags to the store and try to use them when making purchases.

We recycle. We use cloth napkins. I don't buy paper towels. I try not to drive as much as possible. We ride the commuter bus to work everyday. I try not to buy crap too-you know that stupid cheesy plastic crap. Vote with your dollars. That's my new philosphy! Great giveaway. I often rescue fabric too!

I have had a compost pile for over 30 years. I recycle as much as I can. I have a garden and some fruit trees and bottle and can whatever we don't eat first. Our heat is always low in winter and no central air in the summer. I open windows and doors. I use blinds and heavy curtains to cut down heat loss and too much sun. I turn off the lights when I leave the room. One of my next projects is to crochet a bag out of plastic grocery bags. My daughter made one and it turned out fun.

Love the fabric! Thanks for putting such a great giveaway together! To live simply I try to donate or give away things that I don't need. Serving others is a big part of my life and I try to think of others in everything that I do!

We recycle everything daily. Use snack bags that I make instead of plastic. We try to stay away from chemicals as much as possible in foods and home cleaning products, no spray cans in our house (we use soy tarts). And the yummest of it all for a healthier life, we get together and cook dessert from scratch twice a week instead of buying from the store. ummabbaas AT yahoo DOT com

We compost,recycle and reduce waste any way we can think of. I use essential oils everyday. I even make my own laundry soap. Trying to reduce my footprint as much as possible. Love this giveaway such pretty colors. Thanks lauri(dot)rymar(at)gmail(dot)com

To live green I do many things, but I guess the most important to me, is the fact that I do cloth diapers with my baby girl. She has been in them since she was 3 weeks old and I love them. I also recycle and use reusable cloth bags for my shopping. Thanks for the opportunity :)

We just finished planting our annual spring garden and I can't wait to start canning and eating fresh organic food from home. We also raise chickens for fresh eggs and are getting ready for our own dairy cow for fresh milk, which is sooooo yummy and the only milk my son can drink.

We use reusable grocery bags, are members of a CSA, and use reusable snack bags to pack our daughter's lunch. We tried composting, but have fallen off the wagon. I'm hoping that summer will inspire me! Thanks for the chance to win this amazing giveaway.

We live on a farm. Vegetables and fruit from the garden (natural horse manure and compost), conservation program to manage the land, meat from my brother's cattle, eggs from my uncle's chickens, mulch pine needles from under our pines -- you get the drift. It's a way of life. My favorite quilt is the one with fabrics from dresses we had over the years (lots of years too). Thanks for the giveaway.

I grow a fairly decent sized garden every year and use it (canning, pickling, freezing) for as long as we can. Cloth diapers, natural cleaners, cloth bags for shopping, daughter uses reusable lunch accessories for school. We recycle and reuse a lot. I actually didn't think about all of this stuff we do until now. Wow

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